Nor yet the use of Milk would I enjoin,
Much lefs of Vinegar or eager Wine,

Such as from Rhatia comes, and from the Rhines
The Sabine Vintage is of fafer Use,

Which mellow and well-water'd Fields produce:
But if your Banquets with the Gods you'd make,
Of Herbs and Roots the unbought Dainties take;
Be fure that Mint and Endive ftill abound,
And Sowthistle, with Leaves in Winter crown'd,
And Sian by clear Fountains always found;
To thefe add Calamint, and Savery,

Burrage and Balm, whofe mingled Sweets agree,
Rochet and Sorrel I as much approve:

}

The climbing Hop grows wild in ev'ry Grove,
Take thence the infant Buds, and with them join
The curling Tendrels of the springing Vine,
Whose Arms have yet no friendly fhade allow'd,
Nor with the weight of juicy Clufters bow'd.
Particulars were endless to rehearse,

And weightier Subjects now demand our Verfe.
We'll draw the Mufes from Aonian Hills,
To Nature's Garden, Groves and humble Rills,
Where if no Lawrels fpring, or if I find
That those are all for Conquerors defign'd,
With Oaken Leaves a leaft I'll bind my Brow,
For Millions fav'd you must that Grace allow.
At first approach of Spring, I would advise,
Or ev'n in Autumn Months, if ftrength fuffice,
To bleed your Patient in the regal Vein,
And by degrees th' infected Current drein;
But in all Seafons fail not to expel,

And purge the noxious Humours from their Cell,
But fit Ingredients you must first collect,
And then their different Qualities refpect,

}

Make firm the Liquid and the Grofs diffect.

Take, therefore, care to gather, in their prime,

The fweet Corycian and Pamphylian Thyme,
These you muft boil, together with the reft
In this enfuing Catalogue expreft:

}

Fennel and Hop that clofe Embraces weaves,
Parfley and Fumitory's bitter Leaves;
Wild Fern on ev'ry Down and Heath you'll meet,
With Leaves refèmbling Polypas's fhagg'd Feet,
And Maiden-hair, of Virtue ftrange, but true,
For dipt in Fountains, it retains no Dew:
Hart's-tongue and Citarch must be added too.
The greater Part, and with fuccefs more fure,
By Mercury perform the happy Cure;
A wondrous Virtue in that Mineral lies,
Whether by force of various Qualities
Of Cold and Hear, it flies into the Veins,
And with a fiercer Fire their Flame reftrains,
Conqu❜ring the raging Humours in their Seat,
As glowing Steel exceeds the Forge's heat,
Or whether his keen Particles (combin'd
With ftrange Connexion) when th'are once disjoin'd,
Difperfe, all Quarters of the Foe to feize,
And burn the very Seeds of the Difeafe;
Or whether 'tis with fome more hidden force
Endow'd by Nature to perform its Course,
Is hard to fay, but tho' the Gods conceal
The virtual Cause, they did its use reveal.
Now by what means 'twas found our Song fhall fhew
Nor may we let Heav'ns Gifts in Silence go.
In Syrian Vales where Groves of Ofier grow,
And where Callirrhoe's facred Fountains flow,
Ilcers the Huntsman, who with Zeal ador'd'
The rural Gods, with Gifts their Altars ftor'd;
Was yet afflicted with this restless Grief,
And, if Tradition may obtain Belief,
As he was watering there each spicy Bed,
Thus to entreat the Sylvan Pow'rs, is faid.
You Deities by me ador'd, and thou
Callirrhoe, who do'ft Relief allow
'Gainft all Difeafes, as I flew for thee
The Stag, and fix'd his Head upon a Tree;

A Tree that do's with leffer Branches spread,
Than those that join to that moft horrid Head:
You facred Pow'rs, if you'll remove away

This Plague that racks my Frame all Night and Day,
1, all the mingled glories of the Spring,
Lillies and Violets to your Seats will bring.
With Daffadills firft budding Rofes weave,
And on your Shrines the fragrant Garland leave.
He faid, and down upon the Herbage lay,
Tir'd with the raging Pain, and raging Day.
Callirrhoe (bathing in the neighbouring Well,
With Musk that grew in Plenty round the Cell)
Heard the Youth's Pray'r, and freight in soft repose,
Th' indulgent Nymph his heavy Eyes did clofe,
Then to his Fancy, from her facred Streams,
Appear'd and charm'd him with prophetick Dreams.
Ilcens (faid fhe) my Servant, and my Care,
The Gods at laft have hearken'd to thy Pray'r;
Yet, on the Earth, as far as Sol can spy,
For thy Disease remains no Remedy.
Cynthia, and Phœbus too at her Request,
Into thy tortur'd Veins have sent this Peft,
The Stag to her was facred which you flew,
And this the Punishment that did enfue,
For which the Earth, as far as Sol can fee,
The spacious Earth, affords no Remedy :
Then fince her Surface no relief can lend,
To her dark Entrails for thy Cure defcend;
A Cave there is, it self an awful fhade,

But by Jove's spreading Tree more dreadful made,
Where mingling Cedars wanton with the Air,
Thither at first approach of Day repair;
A jet-black Ram before the Entrance slay,
And cry, Thefe Rites great Ops to thee I pay.
The leffer Pow'rs, pale Ghofts and Nymphs of Night,
The Smoak of Yew and Cypress fhall invite;
These Nymphs fhall at the outmoft Entrance ftay,
And through the dark Retreats conduct thy way,

Rife, rife, nor think all this an idle Dream,
For know I am the Goddefs of this Stream.
This for thy pious Homage to my Cell----
So fpake the Nymph, and div'd into the Well.
The Youth starts up aftonish'd, but reftor'd,
With grateful Pray'rs th' obliging Nymph ador'd :
Thy Voice, bright Goddess, I'll with speed Obey,
O ftill affift and bless me on my Way.

With the next Dawn the facred Cave he found,
With spreading Oaks and towring Cedars crown'd;
A jet-black Ram did at the Entrance flay,
And cry'd, Thefe Rites, great Ops, to thee I pay :
The leffer Pow'rs, pale Ghofts and Nymphs of Night,
The Smoak of Yew and Cypress did invite.

His Voice refounding through the hollow Seats,
Difturb'd the Nymphs within their deep Retreats.
Those Nymphs that toil in Metals under ground,
Gave o'er their Work at th' unexpected Sound;
Some Quickfilver, and Sulphur others brought,
From which calcin'd, the golden Oar was wrought;
Of pure Ætherial Light a hundred Beams,
Of Subterranean Fire a hundred Streams,
With various feeds of Earth and Sea they join'd,
For human Eyes too fubtle and refin'd.

.

But Lipare who forms the richer Oar,

And to the Furnace brings the Sulph'rous ftore,
To Ilceus through the dark Receffes broke,
And in thefe Words the trembling Youth bespoke :
Ilceus (for I have heard your Name and Grief)
Callirrhoe fends you hither for relief;

Nor has the Goddess counsell'd you in vain,
These Cells afford a Med'cine for your Pain;
Take courage therefore, and the Charge obey,
She faid, and through the Cavern leads the way.
He follows wondring at the dark aboads,
The fpacious Voids and Subterranean Roads;
Aftonifht there to fee thofe Rivers move,
Which he obfery'd to lofe themselves above:

Each Cave, cry'd Lipare, fome Pow'r contains,
I'th' loweft Manfion Proferpine remains ;

The middle Regions Pluto's Treasure hold,
And Nymphs that work in Silver, Brafs and Gold,
Of which rich Train am I, whofe Veins extend,
And to Callirrhoe's Stream the fmoaking Sulphur fend.
Thus through the Realms of Night they took their

way,

And heard from far the Forge and Furnace play.
Thefe (faid the Nymph) the Beds of Metals are,
That give you wretched Mortals fo much Care.
By thoufand Nymphs of Earth and Night enjoy'd,
Who yet in various Tasks are all employ’d.
Some turn the Current, fome the Seeds diffect
Of Earth and Sea, which fome again collect,
That, mixt with Lightning, make the Golden Oar,
While others quench in Streams the fhining ftore.
Not far from hence the Cyclop's Cave is found,
See how it glows, hark how their Anvils found.
But here turn off, and take the right-hand way,
This Path do's to that facred Stream convey,
In which thy only Hope remains: She faid,
And under Golden Roofs her Patient led.
Hard by, the Lakes of Liquid Silver flow'd,
Which to the wondring Youth the Goddess fhow'd;
Thrice washt in thefe (faid fhe) thy Pains fhall end,
And all the Stench into the Stream defcend.
Thrice with her Virgin hands the Goddess threw
On all his fuffering Limbs the healing Dew:
He, at the falling Filth admiring food,
And scarce believ'd for Joy, the Virtue of the Flood.
When therefore you return to open Day,
With Sacrifice Diana's Rage allay,

}

And Homage to the Fountain's Goddess pay.
Thus fpake the Nymph, and through the Realms of
Reftor'd the grateful Youth to open Light. [Night,
This ftrange Invention foon obtain❜d belief,
And flying Fame divulg'd the fure Relief.